With American buyers pouring into the Cotswolds, this quintessentially English region is undergoing a striking transformation, Joshua Nelken-Zitser writes for Business Insider. Our Partner, Harry Gladwin, explores what’s driving the influx — and its long-term implications.
Sarah Frances Kelley for The Buying Solution
The wave of high-profile American visitors or residents in the Cotswolds – from Taylor Swift and Ellen DeGeneres to JD Vance – has turned this bucolic stretch of countryside into one of the UK’s buzziest enclaves. Their arrival comes amid a record surge in US visitors and soaring spending across the UK, as wealthy travellers increasingly look to stay, not just holiday. Now, with applications for British citizenship hitting unprecedented highs, our Partner and Head of the Cotswolds, Harry Gladwin, shares his insights with Business Insider on what’s driving the boom.
As a new report suggests that the typical life aspiration of a forever home is losing its relevance, our Partner and Head of the Cotswolds, Harry Gladwin, speaks to Annabel Dixon at Country Life about what’s causing this shift among younger generations.
As broader economic factors have made it harder then ever to secure a dream family home, new research from Zoopla suggests that growing numbers of young homeowners prioritise flexibility and renovation potential over permanence. In this feature in Country Life magazine, Harry shares his insight on people reassessing their ‘forever home’ earlier in life and why buyers value the option to move.
For many, the Cotswolds are the ultimate expression of English country living – its honeyed-stone villages, rolling hills and reputation for well-heeled conviviality continuing to lure those seeking an escape from city life. But with the dynamics of the market shifting, so too is the geography of its most desirable postcodes, as our Partner Harry Gladwin and Cotswolds Buying Agent Georgina Neil attest.
South Warwickshire’s villages are often built from Cotswold stone
During the pandemic and the years that followed, many buyers convinced that working from home was here to stay were drawn to the Cotswolds by lifestyle and cachet above all else. They gravitated towards the so-called “Golden Triangle” – the prime area between Chipping Norton, Stow-on-the-Wold and Burford in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. But a new mood is emerging. With the return to the office reshaping working patterns, buyers are now weighing practicality more carefully. Proximity to London, access to good schools and easy connections via the M40 or mainline rail are once again carrying as much weight as lifestyle aspirations.
“Practicality is definitely beginning to creep back into people’s requirements,” says Harry Gladwin, our Partner and Head of the Cotswolds Region. “The northern part of the Cotswolds, taking in the South Warwickshire villages, is increasingly popular because it offers better value and is arguably a little bit more authentic – and it’s still pretty accessible thanks to its proximity to the M40.” The south-eastern Cotswolds, he adds, “were traditionally popular with commuters because of their accessibility to Oxford and London, and also to schools such as the Dragon and Summer Fields. That shifted in the post-Covid years to take in areas such as Burford and Stow-on-the-Wold which would have been considered too far out, but it’s changing now.”
Beyond the Golden Triangle
This “creep” as Harry describes it doesn’t displace the Golden Triangle’s enduring appeal – it is home to Soho Farmhouse, Daylesford and Estelle Manor, after all. Rather, it represents an evolution: a broadening of what buyers now consider the “desirable” Cotswolds as they consider the importance of connectivity, community, schooling and long-term value.
“Everybody was slightly wowed by the Golden Triangle for a while, wanting to be near Daylesford and Soho Farmhouse, but now we’re seeing people open to a wider range of locations,” says Georgina Neil, our Cotswolds Buying Agent. “The corridor up from Oxford through Kidlington and towards Bicester, Deddington and Banbury has become very popular because the train service from Oxford is good, with fast trains every 30 minutes.”
Villages to the north, such as Whichford, Ascott and Sutton-under-Brailes in South Warwickshire, have emerged as strong contenders for those seeking space and connectivity. “The countryside up there is really beautiful – open and unspoilt” says Harry. “It feels authentic in the same way that the countryside west of Stow-on-the-Wold does, but you’re that bit closer to Banbury and the mainline train to London.”
“You can still get to all the places you’d want such as Daylesford, Soho Farmhouse within 20 minutes or so,” Harry adds. “But you can also step back from the busier spots if you want to. It gives you the best of both worlds.”
Meanwhile, the continued development of amenities around Chipping Norton and north Oxfordshire – including the planned opening of The Ned’s country hotel by the end of the decade – is helping to knit these areas together into a wider lifestyle geography. “As soon as you’ve got enough people who want to be in that neck of the woods,” Harry says, “the amenities follow.”
Stowe House, Buckinghamshire
The Oxfordshire–Warwickshire Edge
This belt of countryside, skirting the northern edge of the Cotswolds into South Warwickshire, is developing a distinct identity. Its draw lies in its balance of authenticity and convenience: open farmland and unspoiled scenery combined with practical access to London, Oxford and Birmingham.
“There are plenty of strong communities up there, with a more genuine mix of people,” Harry says. “You still get all the Cotswold charm – traditional pubs and pretty cottages – but without the self-consciousness. It feels more grounded, a reminder of what the region was once all about.”
Georgina sees the same sense of equilibrium extending eastwards. “If you live between Chipping Norton, Banbury and Bicester, you’ve got excellent schools to choose from – Winchester House in Brackley, Northamptonshire; Bloxham School near Banbury, even Beachborough and Stowe in Buckinghamshire,” she says. “Bloxham’s flexi-boarding option has widened its appeal hugely.”
This combination of practicality and quality of life is underpinning a gentle market shift rather than a sudden migration. “People still love the core Cotswolds,” Georgina adds. “But we’re seeing a broader definition of what living here means. It’s not just about being close to a particular club or postcode – it’s about how easily you can get to work, or to school and still enjoy beautiful countryside.”
Confidence Returning
Parts of north Oxfordshire and South Warwickshire that once seemed peripheral are now benefiting from renewed confidence. “This area became quite unpopular because of HS2,” Georgina recalls. “But now that the work has begun and the uncertainty has gone, people have more confidence to buy there again.”
Market towns such as Deddington, six miles south of Banbury, are enjoying a quiet revival. “You’re seeing new cafés, well-kept pubs, and a sense of local community returning,” she says. “It’s not trying to be somewhere else – it’s just a pleasant, liveable place, where you can get a good meal in your local pub without everything being very high-end.”
Sarah Frances Kelley for The Buying Solution
A Shifting Market
What emerges from these shifts is a more nuanced picture of the Cotswolds market. The Golden Triangle remains a magnet for buyers seeking prestige and proximity to established hubs, while the northern and eastern edges offer a quieter, more practical alternative for those prioritising connectivity and value.
“People still want the beauty the Cotswolds is famous for,” Georgina says. “They’re just being a bit more thoughtful about what works day to day. If you’ve got teenagers, for example, it helps to have a bus route into Oxford or a train station nearby. That practicality is what’s driving many of the decisions now.”
Harry agrees. “If you want a weekend cottage, the hotspots will always appeal,” he says. “But if you’re looking for a bigger house with land then you are far more likely to find it up towards South Warwickshire.”
A Broader Definition of the Cotswolds Dream
For all the shifts in emphasis, the appeal of the Cotswolds endures, just in a more diverse form. The same rolling hills and mellow stone that drew Londoners seeking space and respite from city life now attract a wider range of buyers who want that while still maintaining connectivity.
“People are rediscovering parts of the region that feel authentic but also work practically,” Georgina says. “It’s about having space, countryside and culture, but also schools, trains and a bit of real everyday life.”
However, caution is always advised, which is where The Buying Solution’s expert guidance comes to the fore. “Because you’re moving around the edge of the Cotswolds National Landscape and the protections that come with it, you need to be alert to potential infrastructure changes and development creep,” says Harry. “It’s easy to buy in the wrong place and find yourself in a built-up area within a few years. The countryside here is beautiful and accessible, but that makes expert guidance even more valuable – you need to know exactly where to put your pin in the map.”
Harry Gladwin is our Partner and Head of the Cotswolds Region
As music A-listers Beyoncé and Jay-Z are rumoured to be building a modern barn-style home on a vast 58-acre plot near Wigginton in the Cotswolds, our Head of the Cotswolds, Harry Gladwin, talks to Ruth Bloomfield at The Standard about the area’s transatlantic appeal.
Sarah Frances Kelley for The Buying Solution
Harry has seen a 30% increase in US-based buyers in the Cotswolds since the start of the pandemic. “This region ticks every box of what they dream the English countryside should be – rolling hills, honey-coloured stone, cricket on the green, cosy pubs and villages that look unchanged for centuries,” Harry told The Standard.
While some buyers are happy to pay a premium for a prestigious postcode, there is often far better value to be had nearby, our Cotswolds Partner Harry Gladwin tells Hugh Graham at The Times.
Sarah Frances Kelley for The Buying Solution
The wrong combination of letters and numbers in a Cotswold property’s address can completely deter some buyers, while others are willing to pay a six-figure premium simply for the GL postcode. Yet in the nearby villages of Warwickshire you can find the same charming honeyed-stone cottages and rolling views for significantly less, says Harry Gladwin in The Times.
For a growing number of UK property owners, proximity to Britain’s cultural and sporting calendar is proving more than incidental – it’s quietly generating meaningful seasonal income. From the polo season in Sussex to music festivals in Somerset, the property market near major regional events holds not just lifestyle value but the potential for short bursts of high-yield rental opportunities, as our Partners explain.
Across the country, homeowners are increasingly leveraging a pattern of short-term lets tied to key events. These aren’t year-round investment properties, but well-located second homes and country houses with ancillary accommodation whose seasonal demand is driving interest from tenants prepared to pay a premium – for a month, a week, or even a weekend.
Polo, Property and High-Value Tenancies
Nowhere is this clearer than around Cowdray Park in Midhurst, West Sussex, one of the UK’s most prestigious polo venues. “People rent out their houses, farm buildings and land to incoming polo teams,” says Mark Lawson, our High Value Residential and Rural Estates Partner. “If you’ve got a farm with appropriate buildings and a house, you can make a huge amount of money over a three-month period.”
It’s a pattern echoed throughout the polo season, which draws teams, patrons, support staff and international guests from March to August. Katherine Watters, our Southern Home Counties Partner, says: “Rentals around Midhurst and Petworth during polo season are huge. Rents increase by around 70%, and demand spans everything from grooms’ accommodation to larger family houses for the patrons themselves.”
She also notes the growing market for post-season use of land. “There’s been a real uptick in people renting land to wintering polo ponies. They don’t need access to huge grazing, but they do need to be locally based for daily checks. Some owners take that on themselves, and it becomes a six-month income stream.”
Shooting Season Demand: Exmoor to Northumberland
Polo is just one part of the seasonal economy. The driven shooting calendar is creating a parallel income opportunity – especially for larger houses in regions with world-class moors and woodland. “People certainly rent out their big country houses to travelling American shooting parties,” says Mark. “They want their own house, complete privacy, and they bring their own staff and cooks. They’ll pay significant amounts to stay near top-tier shoots.”
Prime locations include Exmoor, Wiltshire and Northumberland – areas with multiple access points to renowned estates. Properties with heritage features, self-contained guest accommodation and local shoot connections are particularly in demand. “They come over for a week or two,” Lawson explains, “base themselves in one place, and travel around. If you’re positioned well, the income can be substantial.”
While many of these agreements are informal and discreet, high-end tenancies often involve robust private contracts. “At that level, everything needs to be precise,” adds Harry Gladwin, our Cotswolds Partner. “These owners expect their property to look untouched when they return.”
Short-Term Demand with Long-Term Appeal
From Henley-on-Thames to Glastonbury, homeowners are increasingly capitalising on the surge in demand tied to Britain’s summer event calendar.
“People rent out their homes for those five days and leave the area,” says Lawson, referencing Glastonbury Festival. “It’s financially worthwhile and a good time to avoid traffic and crowds.” In one instance, a client in the music industry purchased a second home nearby purely to host guests and entertain during the festival week.
For homeowners in and around Henley, demand builds across multiple regattas, culminating in the six-day Royal Regatta. “You find annexes fitted with rows of single beds for rowers,” says Jemma Scott, our North Home Counties Partner. “It’s highly organised. Some owners are retired couples, others are entrepreneurial young families who leave for the week. It can easily cover the cost of a summer holiday.”
Ascot sees similar demand across the summer racing and polo season, where houses with land or adaptable outbuildings are sought after for temporary use.
Jemma points out that for most in her region, the motivation isn’t investment in the traditional sense. “For many owners, it’s pin money – it pays for a holiday – but it speaks to the enduring appeal of these English towns and villages in and around Henley, Marlow, Ascot and Windsor. People want to participate, to feel part of it. It’s invigorating, almost a legacy. The seasonal rental value just adds another layer of appeal.”
The Cotswolds: From Event-Driven to Year-Round Yield
Unlike the more event-specific rental windows in Henley or Cowdray, the Cotswolds has evolved into a year-round short-let market. “People absolutely do it for the money,” says Harry Gladwin. “There’s huge demand – some are paying tens of thousands of pounds a day.”
The draw is no longer just events like the Big Feastival near Kingham or Wilderness near Charlbury, but a broader lifestyle trend. “People want to visit Soho Farmhouse, Estelle Manor or Daylesford and want proximity but may want their own space, rather than staying there. Some owners now routinely rent out their main homes for summer and relocate locally for a few weeks. The income covers their own holiday and often more.”
Gladwin notes that these lets span from modest Airbnb stays to private, high-value arrangements. “There’s a broad range – from a few hundred pounds a night through to five figures. The more exclusive houses are rarely advertised. They’re let privately through networks with staff already in place and very high standards, but everyone is doing it at every level. And why wouldn’t you?”
Wimbledon and London Event Lettings
In south-west London, the Wimbledon Championship’s expanded tennis calendar has long had a tangible impact. “It’s now a month-long window – with the HSBC Championship at The Queen’s Club, early arrivals and the tournament itself,” says James Burridge, our London Partner. “Players and sponsors – brands like Rolex, IMG, Evian – are booking properties well in advance.”
While he notes that many homeowners with prestigious homes in Wimbledon Village are reluctant to let due to concerns over property wear, the premium on offer can be persuasive. “It’s not a core investment strategy,” James adds, “but it does provide optional income, particularly when paired with other events like the Open Golf or London’s summer arts season.”
The same dynamic applies in Chelsea, where events like the Chelsea Flower Show drive short-term Airbnb interest. “It’s a multi-purpose demand in London during the summer months, with culture, sport and business travel all overlapping,” says James.
Flexible Ownership with a Return
Across all regions, one consistent theme emerges: owners are increasingly looking for versatility – properties that provide enjoyment and, when required, deliver income.
“You wouldn’t buy a house in Wimbledon just for the Championships,” says Katherine. “But if you’re buying anyway, having the option to let for a month makes a lot of sense.”
Jemma sees it as part of a broader recalibration. “Buyers today want properties that can work harder. A good location, strong local schools, National Landscape status – but also event access and letting potential. It’s no longer enough just to have a good train into London.”
Lawson agrees: “The events put these places on the map, but the income opportunity is now part of the conversation. These aren’t traditional buy-to-lets – they’re flexible assets. And people are increasingly running the numbers.”
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From artisan bakeries and chichi cafés to independent boutiques and premium gyms, our high streets are becoming ever more curatedaccording to a recent article inthe Financial Times, featuring expert comment from our Partner Harry Gladwin.
Sarah Frances Kelley for The Buying Solution
Talking to journalist Cathy Hawker, our Head of the Cotswolds region, Harry, told her that outside of London, the practical is blending with the premium. He cites Groves Yard in Milton-under-Wychwood in the Cotswolds as a place where shoopers can stock up on lightbulbs, order a set of curtains, enjoy lunch, buy a oaf of freshly-baked bread, have a manicure and even visit the dentist.
As the modern Palladian revival country house Daisy Green in Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, goes on the market, a recent article in Robb Report shares expert insight from our Cotswolds Partner Harry Gladwinon what the modern Cotswold buyer wants.
Boz Gagovski Photography
It may look like an exceptionally well-preserved 18th-century Cotswolds villa, but Daisy Green in Gloucestershire dates, in fact, to 2011 and was built by the artist and designer Susanna White of Studio Whiteworks and her husband, John.
Writing in Robb Report, journalist Abby Montanez reports that today’s Cotswold buyers seek traditional beauty with modern comfort – and more than just a weekend escape, quoting Harry Gladwin, Head of the Cotswolds Region at The Buying Solution.
Wealthy buyers in the Cotswolds are setting their sights beyond the typically popular socialite scene, according to a recent article in Bloomberg, featuring expert comment from our Partner Harry Gladwin.
Talking to journalist Sarah Rappaport, our Head of the Cotswolds region, Harry, says: “For those seeking true privacy, the celebrity ecosystem around Soho Farmhouse is starting to feel a bit crowded—or worse, performative.” He adds: “Areas around Snowshill, Cold Aston, Whichford or the Coln Valley offer more space, less scrutiny and just as much charm.”
Our Head of the Cotswolds, Harry Gladwin talks to Alexandra Goss for The London Magazine about the cult US interiors brand RH which is housed at Oxfordshire’s 400-year-old landmark estate Aynho Park – its first foray outside of North America.
As it prepares to launch in Mayfair next year, Harry comments on how RH has put the once sleepy village of Aynho and surrounding Cotswolds villages on the map.
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